Sports Buzz

Tag: rebuilding teams

  • Can’t hide behind Ange now… PL’s ‘absolute madness’ as unthinkable doomsday scenario comes alive

    Can’t hide behind Ange now… PL’s ‘absolute madness’ as unthinkable doomsday scenario comes alive

    Ange Postecoglou has been the Premier League manager in the firing line in recent months, but some of the heat is now starting to be directed Ruben Amorim’s way.

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    Postecoglou’s Tottenham claimed an important 1-0 win against Amorim’s Manchester United on Sunday to add to the torrid time the Portuguese manager is having at Old Trafford.

    Amorim is overseeing, statistically, the worst United team of the Premier League era.

    They have lost twelve of 25 matches, with a points tally of just 29.

    They have scored only 28 goals and sit 15th on the table, 12 points clear of the relegation places.

    They are on track for their lowest points tally, and the least amount of goals they have scored, in a Premier League season.

    The numbers are grim.

    Normally, such dire circumstances would have led to a manager already being shown the door.

    But this mess is not of Amorim’s creation.

    United sacked Erik ten Hag in October and replaced the Dutchman with Amorim in November.

    The 40-year-old was seen as a breath of fresh air.

    A young manager, who would impart modern thinking on the club.

    Amorim was even hailed as the club’s saviour after winning two league titles and impressing in European competition for Sporting CP in his home city of Lisbon.

    Such was his popularity at this former club that Amorim was chaired off the pitch after demolishing Manchester City 4-1 in a home Champions League match, which doubled as his farewell game.

    Before that mid-week affair, Amorim stated that United fans would think he is the new Sir Alex Ferguson if he orchestrated a defeat of their fierce rivals.

    It is doubtful that any Red Devils supporter would think that now.

    “It was everything” – Spurs sweep Man U | 01:49

    WORST UTD BOSS OF MODERN ERA

    United have lost eight, won four and drawn two of Amorim’s 14 Premier League outings in charge.

    His overall record of nine losses, nine wins and three draws is better courtesy of an unbeaten run in the Europa League’s league phase.

    But Amorim’s win percentage of 43 is the worst of any permanent United manager since Ferguson’s reign.

    Louis van Gaal (48%) was next lowest, but Jose Mourinho (52%), David Moyes (57%), ten Hag (67%) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (71%) all had significantly superior records in all competitions from their first 21 matches at the helm.

    Clearly, things are not going according to plan.

    Yet, Amorim’s head is not being called for repeatedly like Postecoglou’s.

    There is a widespread acceptance that none of this is Amorim’s fault.

    Discontent among fans towards the club’s ownership has seemingly grown annually with a lot of anger directed towards the American Glazer family who have been majority owners for more than two decades.

    In 2023, six of the Glazer children sold a quarter of their 68% stake in the club to British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, and now some of their frustrations have been sent his way.

    Selling off tickets among season ticket holders at Old Trafford to away fans, and the roof leaking because of a reluctance to spend on stadium refurbishments have generated outrage.

    The most anger is directed towards squad building however, as the majority of the current team have been brought on massive dollars but flopped as their rivals have snapped up stars, and they missed opportunities to sign the likes of England captain Harry Kane when he departed Tottenham.

    The resentment towards the club hierarchy has allowed Amorim to strategically push several excuses to keep the heat off him.

    In January, he said he is in charge of “the worst team maybe in the history of Manchester United”.

    If they get relegated, like the team who dropped out of the English top flight in 1974, the “maybe” could be dropped from that quote.

    Following the weekend’s loss to Tottenham, United’s third of the season to Postecolgou’s side, Amorim said “my job is so, so hard here”.

    One of the things he was referring to was the growing casualty ward, which is causing the manager serious headaches.

    ‘Bigger club with bigger pressure” | 00:46

    ‘WELCOME TO MY WORLD’

    The demanding schedule of midweek games throughout December and January caused Amorim to lament that he could not spend enough time on the training ground, implementing his play style on the squad.

    Last week he finally got some clear air.

    There were eight days between their fourth round FA Cup victory at home against Leicester City and their trip to north London to face Tottenham.

    Ample time to refresh and dive deeper into the demands of his preferred 3-4-3 formation, but they lost six players in that time.

    United’s top goal scorer this season Amad Diallo, England midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, Manuel Ugarte and Toby Collyer all suffered injuries, and Leny Yoro and Christian Eriksen fell ill.

    Diallo has been ruled out for the season, joining Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Lisandro Martinez and Jonny Evans as being sidelined for the long-term.

    It forced Amorim to field a bench with eight teenagers, none of whom had made a first team appearance, and 17-year-old striker Chido Obi coming on for a debut with three minutes remaining was the only change made for the match.

    The predicament prompted Postecoglou to say “welcome to my world” after he has struggled with an injury-riddled squad for several months, which led to an eight games winless run in the league.

    To make matters worse, United fans watched on as academy product Marcus Rashford made an inspired start to life at Aston Villa.

    Fellow attacker Antony, who was signed for £82 million in 2022, also started promisingly in Spain follow his departure from Old Trafford in the recent transfer window.

    No replacement was brought in for either forward, instead entrusting Rasmus Hojlund, Joshua Zirkzee and Alejandro Garnacho as a front three that have produced eight goals between in the league this season.

    Meanwhile, Rashford came off the bench twice for Villa and breathed life into the game, including playing a part in Ollie Watkins’ equaliser in their draw with Ipswich.

    But rubbing the most salt into the wounds is that Antony has scored three times in four matches for Real Betis.

    That is more goals than United have scored this February so far, and matches the Brazilian’s tally from 38 appearances for the Red Devils last season.

    Perhaps, there is something in players being rejuvenated once the are freed from United’s shackles.

    GREATS BECOMING RESTLESS

    In the aftermath of the Tottenham loss, several greats of the Ferguson era piped up to spell doom and gloom for their former club.

    Six-time Premier League winner with United Rio Ferdinand spoke on his YouTube channel about how he believes relegation is a real possibility.

    “Manchester United are absolutely struggling at the moment. Only Wolves and West Ham separate my club from the relegation places. Do you realise we’re that close?” Ferdinand said.

    “Someone said we need 11 points just to stay up and I’m starting to think like that. I’ve got the fixture list here and I’m looking at the game and I’m being serious here. Go through it.

    “Everton away, Ipswich at home, Arsenal, Forest away, Man City, Newcastle away, Wolves, Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Leicester.

    “The only place I potentially see us getting anything – and I’m not even saying a win – is Leicester. We’ve slapped up Leicester a couple of times already this season so we’ve got their number.

    “Normally you look at the fixture list and you can see where the points are coming from.

    “We just looked at the fixture list and I’m not seeing outright wins, I’m not looking at it thinking there’s three points here and there’s three points there. That’s the problem.”

    Ballon d’Or winner and Ferdinand’s former United teammate Michael Owen said that he cannot see the current situation “getting any better”.

    Meanwhile, another star of United’s golden years, Gary Neville, turned his attention on the manager.

    Neville thought Amorim’s tactics were “absolute madness” during the defeat to Tottenham, particularly in midfield.

    “The distance between the two centre midfielders for United is all wrong,” Neville said on Sky Sports. “Look where Fernandes is, look where Casemiro is. It breaks all rules of football.

    “It’s absolute madness. The structure of the team is awful. The two in midfield are split. It’s embarrassing. You wouldn’t see this in under-nines football. Look at that space in midfield. Shocking.”

    It was not the first time Amorim’s midfield set up has been ridiculed.

    In a 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle in December, Amorim embarrassingly subbed off attacker Joshua Zirkzee after just 33 minutes to make up for his misstep of partnering Eriksen and Casemiro in midfield, who are not blessed with pace, against the Magpies’ electric trio of Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

    Now, critiques of Amorim’s tactics are mounting up.

    AMORIM SHOULD BE ABLE TO DELIVER MORE

    Three at the back, four in midfield and three up front.

    That is what Amorim likes his teams to look like.

    But being one player lighter in defence is something foreign to the current United squad.

    They have failed to get up to speed with the reconfiguration, and it has now been long enough that it is reflecting poorly on Amorim.

    Arsenal great Martin Keown described his tactics as “flawed”, and was confused as to why other Premier League managers have been able to make a more immediate impact with seemingly lesser squads.

    “Whereas look at Everton, in the same amount of time for David Moyes, a former United manager, are getting results. You could argue his players maybe aren’t quite as good, but this once-great club is now falling from a great height,” Keown said on TalkSport after the Tottenham loss.

    “The panic button is close to being pressed. You can’t keep performing as they did yesterday.

    “The tactics are flawed; we’ve been saying it for weeks now. The midfield, Casemiro sitting on his own, Spurs exploiting that with two players in those pockets. James Maddison ran the show. Fernandes was a boy lost on the pitch.”

    Concerningly for Amorim, there seems to be no relief coming in anytime soon.

    Gary Neville believes “it’s going to be a minimum of two to three transfer windows” before the manager and the recruiting staff can “adapt this squad into a 3-4-3 squad”.

    United are also going to be limited in their spending because of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules – which are designed to stop clubs blowing out their balance sheets by limiting what they can spend, dependent upon the money they generate.

    The bad news for United is that they have lost £300m in the last three years, and in the background of their poor performances on the pitch, was 250 employees being made redundant last summer as part of cost-cutting measures.

    It is also reported that more redundancies are likely.

    “There will be no great infusion of cash to rebuild the squad in the summer; United are already under pressure to avoid breaching PSR regulations,” The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson wrote.

    So with their hands somewhat tied financially, there is demand for Amorim to extract more out of what they have.

    And at present, that does not look like happening.

    “You can blame injuries all you like, highlighting the fact that United’s bench was so stacked with 17 and 18-year-olds that it resembled a sixth-form holiday camp. But Amorim, if he is truly as talented as his extravagant send-off in Lisbon suggests he is, should be summoning a tune out of those he has available,” The Telegraph’s chief sports writer Oliver Brown wrote after the Tottenham defeat.

    “The problem is that the players are all hopelessly confused by the tactics he is asking them to follow. Maguire was the most obvious rabbit in headlights this time, bizarrely stopping dead in his tracks as a dangerous cross swung in towards Son Heung-min. Casemiro was all at sea, not even watching Bruno Fernandes at times and crumpling to the turf pleading for a free-kick even when nobody was near him.

    “The doubts are starting to be publicly expressed. Gary Neville witheringly argued that Amorim’s midfield, with Casemiro and Fernandes creating yawning chasms through their lack of connection, would not even have been seen at under-nines level. While that might be hyperbolic, it does illustrate how the fundamentals at United have collapsed.

    “The defence is shot to pieces, the midfield is makeshift, and supposed target man Hojlund has not scored in his last 15 appearances.”

    WILL HE SURVIVE?

    As is the case for Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, and as was the case for Amorim’s predecessor ten Hag, the allure of silverware offers salvation.

    Ten Hag bought himself more time with a shock FA Cup triumph against rivals City in 2023, while United, along with Spurs, are into the Europa League’s Round of 16.

    The hierarchy at Old Trafford would be desperate for a trophy, but it is not a condition to Amorim keeping his job.

    There is little doubt that he will be given a summer to shape a squad in his image, and not judged too harshly for the failures that emerge from trying to do so on the fly, mid-season.

    But football is a ruthless game, and bookmakers across the UK have slashed their odds on Amorim being the next Premier League manager to be shown the door.

    Reports emerged out of Spain that United are already exploring alternative options, including current US men’s team manager, as well as former Tottenham, Chelsea and PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino.

    The dilemma Amorim is facing, which is the case of many bosses of rebuilding teams across any sport, is that losses stockpiling may do too much damage.

    “The danger is that, even if Amorim is the right man, his reputation will be so tarnished by the end of the season that he will never be able to inspire the belief successful management requires,” The Guardian’s Jonathan Wilson wrote.

    “This is a mess with no easy solutions.”

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  • Giddey is the odd man out at a surprise NBA contender. It could trigger shock trade call

    Giddey is the odd man out at a surprise NBA contender. It could trigger shock trade call

    Josh Giddey’s fit with the Oklahoma City Thunder – and whether his future belongs at the franchise – has become a talking point in the NBA this season.

    The Thunder have surged to the top of the West standings behind the rise of superstar MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and emergence of Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren as arguably the NBA’s most exciting young core that arrived ahead of its time.

    Though Mark Daigneault’s side looks every bit a contender, there’s a view it’s still a move or two away from away from being a true playoff threat against some of the league’s most experienced teams.

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    Giddey, taking more of a back seat this season while the aforementioned Gilgeous-Alexander-Williams-Holmgren trio have blossomed as the clear foundation the team will build around moving forward, has posed a question of whether the Aussie could at some stage be traded.

    Yahoo Sports Senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer revealed last month he expected opposition teams to make calls to the Thunder regarding Giddey ahead of the trade deadline, pending the outcome of the NBA’s investigation into claims Giddey had an inappropriate relationship with a minor.

    Josh Giddey’s fit with the Oklahoma City Thunder – and whether his future belongs at the franchise – has become a talking point in the NBA this season. (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

    “Before the social-media accusations that Giddey had an improper relationship with a minor, other front offices were beginning to pinpoint Giddey as a quiet trade possibility, this being his third season without improving into a viable 3-point shooter next to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander,” Fischer wrote.

    Though it couldn’t be ruled out (this is the NBA, of course), a Giddey trade before the February 9 trade deadline (all times AEDT) feels unlikely. There’s always a groundswell of rumours surrounding a big name – including teams interested – before they’re moved, and that’s yet to materialise despite some noise.

    Plus, the league is yet to conclude its probe into the Giddey off-court allegations despite the California police not making any charges. Until the case is closed, it’s hard to see another team acquiring him, and it inherently lowers Giddey’s trade value.

    OKC however has a bigger picture call to make soon.

    Giddey, 21, in his third NBA campaign, is eligible for a contract extension next off-season, while he can become a free agent in 2025.

    With that would clearly come a bigger payday from his current deal, which is why the Thunder must now decide if they’re married to Giddey long-term, or if a different piece makes more sense.

    There’s two ways to look at it.

    For one, the Thunder have invested a lot into Giddey including taking him with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

    He was given every opportunity in his first two seasons on a rebuilding OKC side, featuring prominently alongside Gilgeous-Alexander in the backcourt in what felt like a long-term pairing.

    It resulted in the Aussie playmaker exceeding expectations, producing some incredible performances where he broke several records as one of the most well-rounded and versatile guards – standing 6-foot-8 – to come into the NBA.

    If Giddey was capable of such displays at just 19 and 20 years of age, the sky was the ceiling for the young gun. And so the idea of moving a player with so much potential feels crazy and one the Thunder could seriously regret.

    Giddey in action (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

    But the NBA moves fast … very fast.

    In year three, not only has Giddey struggled to really evolve his game – in particular the outside shot (averaging 0.9 threes at 33 per cent efficiency) – his numbers have in fact gone backwards in his worst season yet despite the team’s rise.

    He’s currently averaging career-lows in points per game (11.5), rebounds (4.8), assists (4.6) and minutes (24.8), with Daigneault at times opting to play other players ahead of him down the stretch of games.

    Given Gilgeous-Alexander is such a ball-dominant player – and demands such high usage as one of the most unstoppable offensive players in the game – Giddey’s inability to develop his outside stroke has made the pair’s fit clunky.

    If that can’t improve, it’s hard to see how Giddey would be a worthwhile investment for the Thunder long term. That aside, Giddey also hasn’t been efficient enough or as aggressive as he could be with the ball and has at times appeared to lack confidence.

    And while Williams and Holmgren have seamlessly stepped into larger roles and made meaningful contributions to OKC winning games, Giddey has sort of gotten lost in the mix.

    In Giddey’s first couple of seasons, the Thunder were prepared for growing pains, with player development a clear priority. But OKC is now in win-now mode, already has its superstar centrepiece in Gilgeous-Alexander and would be looking to surround him with the right pieces to help it win a championship.

    It crucially comes with the backdrop of the franchise sitting on an unprecedented mountain of draft picks it could cash in on at any moment when it thinks the team is ready to compete title, and when the right star becomes available. There’s frankly never been a team this good, this soon, with so many draft assets to utilise.

    General manager Sam Presti has been happy to play the waiting game and let the Thunder’s exciting young core continue to gel together, with the current iteration still yet to make the playoffs.

    Suddenly though, the urgency levels have risen considerably for Presti to make a move.

    Is the Giddey-Gilgeous-Alexander pairing viable long-term? (Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)Source: FOX SPORTS

    “The fit of Josh Giddey is a frequent topic of conversation around the league,” Yahoo Sports journalist Ben Rohrbach wrote.

    “He is a 6-foot-8 playmaker, and those do not grow on trees, but he is not a 3-and-D wing (although his 3-point accuracy and defence are improving). There are deals to be made that could benefit both the team trading for Giddey and the Thunder, who can package the 21-year-old with however many first-round draft picks it takes to improve.”

    Suggesting Giddey mightn’t belong on a budding Thunder team ready to compete isn’t a knock on him or his game, it’s more about ensuring he’s in the best possible place to flourish, and ultimately, what’s best for his career.

    And while Gilgeous-Alexander, Williams and Holmgren are all clearly untouchables, Giddey is the one OKC could be prepared to dangle – along with its draft capital – that would clearly intrigue other teams looking to add long-term assets.

    The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor argued it’d be in both Giddey and the Thunder’s best interests for a trade, suggesting the team should move the Aussie for a big.

    “Giddey is the trade piece. Simple as that. They have to trade Giddey for a big. They need a big next to Chet Holmgren in the front court,” O’Connor told The Mismatch podcast in November.

    “I like Giddey a lot. It’s nothing against him individually as a player. It’s about the greater good of the team and probably the greater good for the team too. It’s not a great fit for him.

    “It’s year three (for Giddey), that contract extension is coming up very, very soon for Giddey. I don’t think the fit is great and I worry about his jump shot.

    “Sometimes to win championships you’ve got to move pieces that you love for pieces that make more sense for you and then you fall in love with those pieces too. That’s what team building is.

    “I think with Giddey he’s a great young player who is going to have a long, successful career but it might not be in Oklahoma City.

    “If they did make him available they could probably get something really, really good in return that makes more sense next to SGA and Chet.”

    Giddey’s Thunder blow through Pelicans | 00:58

    So even if a move isn’t imminent, which teams could be surveying the situation?

    The San Antonio Spurs could be an ideal fit given the franchise’s need for an upgrade at point guard, having experimented with Jeremy Sochan in the role this season. Giddey could be a nice running partner for Victor Wembanyama to put the French phenom in the better spots and maximise the team’s size, plus the Aussie fits the teams rebuilding timeline.

    The New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz are also in need of a true playmaker, and though Giddey clearly isn’t on the same level as James Harden, we’ve seen the impact a true floor general can have on a team with the 10-time All-Star’s move to the LA Clippers.

    The Chicago Bulls are another potential team to watch as they weigh up which direction they take. Having under achieved in recent years, the Bulls appear to be open for a shake-up – Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan are reportedly on the trade table, and even Nikola Vucevic, who’d appeal to the Thunder to shore up their big man stocks, could be on the table.

    Given some believe the Thunder should target Nets big man Nic Claxton, Brooklyn, one of many teams on trade watch, also naturally becomes a potential landing spot. That would see Giddey join forces with fellow Aussie Ben Simmons (though that feels like a clunky pairing).

    Other rebuilding teams in development mode like the Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons could be on the radar considering they’d immediately put Giddey in a larger role and give him a bigger opportunity to shine.

    Ultimately, you’d expect the Thunder wait it out on the trade front and see how far this team can go this season before rushing into any Giddey move, even if it seems to makes sense right now.

    Though the goalposts have shifted on the team’s timeline, Presti, one of the NBA’s most shrewd general managers, wouldn’t make a big move unless it was clearly the right one for the team’s direction. The same goes for the Thunder trading away their surplus of picks.

    Again, this is the NBA though, and stranger things have happened.

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  • Clear No.1 plus shock riser nobody saw coming as contender falls from grace: NBA Power Rankings

    Clear No.1 plus shock riser nobody saw coming as contender falls from grace: NBA Power Rankings

    We’re six weeks into the NBA season in one of the most even title races in recent history… barring one clear standout.

    It’s come amid a host of big improvers in an exciting new era of stars, while several other sides have disappointed.

    Read on for the latest NBA Power Rankings. All records/numbers accurate as of Thursday night AEDT.

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    What are the Power Rankings? This is our attempt to rank every NBA team from best to worst. We take wins and losses into account, but also the quality of opposition faced and whether teams are likely to get healthier or improve going forward. It’s a little bit ‘who’s hot and who’s not’; part predictive, part analysis of what’s happened. If Team A is above Team B, we’d probably tip A to beat B at a neutral venue.

    Every NBA team analysed in our Power Rankings.Source: FOX SPORTS

    1. BOSTON CELTICS (14-4)

    Who else but? Continuing on from last campaign’s dominant regular season, the Celtics appear to have gotten even stronger with the additions of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Integrating such key pieces to a rotation can take time for teams to adjust, but not Boston, having posted a top eight offensive rating and top three defensive rating. Still undefeated at home, the Celtics’ +9.6 point differential is the best in the league. Not only do they have top-line stars, most notably Jayson Tatum, who’s having another MVP-calibre season, but Joe Mazulla’s rotation is arguably the deepest and most talented in the NBA. It’ll help them mitigate injuries (provided they don’t come at the business end of the season). Can anyone stop them? The clear best team in the league right now.

    2. DENVER NUGGETS (13-6)

    The reigning champs have been in cruise control in the early parts of the season, while Jamal Murray has been limited to eight games due to a hamstring injury … yet they still sit second in the West standings at 13-6 and have a top 10 offensive and defensive rating. It included a particularly strong start to the season before the Nuggets hit a lean patch, dropping four of five games as their less experience and depth compared to last season showed. But a road win over the Clippers on the second half of a back-to-back without Murray, Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon displayed championship DNA at its finest and would build huge belief in the second unit and team as a whole. Jokic remains out-of-this-world good as the current frontrunner for the MVP in what’d be his third overall. Oh and they’re also the only other team still unbeaten at home.

    ‘Wait a minute!’ Smith blasts ‘idiots’ | 02:01

    3. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (13-4)

    One of the big surprise packages so far, Minnesota is emerging as a legitimate contender before our eyes. In fact, it’s the Wolves we thought we were getting last season after three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner Rudy Gobert joined the team, as his twin tower frontcourt pairing with Karl Anthony-Towns is starting to flourish. Sitting first in the West with the best defensive rating in the entire NBA – built around Gobert, and great size and flexibility that’s really troubled opposition – the Wolves have taken the leap into the top tier of teams. Then there’s the Anthony Edwards piece, with the star guard evolving into a MVP-level superstar that plays both ends of the floor and has a certain dog and killer instinct about him that reminds you of some of the game’s all-time greats.

    4. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (13-5)

    The new-look Bucks are starting to figure things out – and that’s a scary prospect for the rest of the NBA. After a slow start, Milwaukee has won eight of its last nine games and is beginning to live up to the hype after recruiting Damian Lillard to join forces with Giannis Antetokounmpo and create one of the most dominant one-two offensive punches in the NBA. Though the Bucks have the fourth-best offence in the league, there’s still issues at the other end of the floor, with a bottom 10 defensive rating. Brook Lopez is starting to rediscover his dominant defensive form from last season, but misses having Jrue Holiday out on the perimeter, while Khris Middleton is still ramping up to full health after off-season knee surgery. If they can make improvements on the defensive end to at least be middle of the road, the Nuggets showed last season you don’t necessarily need to have an elite defence to win it all. Could they simply score their way to a title?

    5. PHILADLEPHIA 76ERS (12-6)

    Couldn’t have navigated the James Harden trade saga much better. It was addition by subtraction for the Sixers, with Harden’s departure paving the way for Tyrese Maxey to evolve into a superstar – even if he’s cooled off from his epic early-season heights – while Joel Embiid continues to do Joel Embiid things. The star centre has also improved as a facilitator, averaging a career-best 6.6 assists per game. Philly also added a host of handy role players in the Harden trade plus assets it could use to recruit another star by the trade deadline. They sit top four in the East and have the second-best points differential (+8.7) in the NBA, having shown a ruthlessness to really crush teams. Nick Nurse’s team has the second-best offence – playing with more movement and freedom than last season – to go with a top 10 defence. A team with all the tools to make another deep playoff run.

    6. ORLANDO MAGIC (13-5)

    The other shock riser – and this one has been even more unexpected – including riding a current seven-game winning streak. Orlando was seen as a fun, budding team on the rise, but not many could’ve predicted Jamahl Mosley’s side would be this good, this fast. The Magic have the third-best record in the East and their improvement has largely come behind a more robust defence – currently the second-best in the league. They simply have guys who compete hard every game like Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony, while Paolo Banchero has taken his game to new heights alongside co-star Franz Wagner, an elite running partner who’s still somehow underrated. Joe Ingles has also provide invaluable leadership and stability off the bench. The Magic, who’ve taken down arguably the best two teams in the NBA in Boston and Denver, have done all of this with Markelle Fultz missing most of the season with a knee injury!

    Booker torches the Garden with dagger 3 | 00:37

    7. PHOENIX SUNS (11-6)

    The Suns are coming. Despite Bradley Beal being restricted to three games due to a back issue and Devin Booker also battling injury, they’re still sitting in the upper echelon of the always competitive West. Kevin Durant has wound the clock back to look like… well, prime Kevin Durant, while Booker too has had some monster performances top really ascend his status to the top-line superstars. What’s also been encouraging is how recruits Eric Gordon and Grayson Allen have stepped up with more opportunities and Jusuf Nurkic might have found his perfect landing spot. It’s the defensive end of the floor where there’s still some issues, but sitting 11-6 despite their new big three having never played together yet and there’s huge reason for optimism in the Valley of the Sun.

    Giddey starts for OKC amid investigation | 00:50

    8. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (11-6)

    Another big improver and team that looks genuinely ready to contend, perhaps slightly ahead of its time. OKC is ranked top seven both offensively and defensively and doesn’t seem to fear anyone. The impact of former Pick 2 Chet Holmgren has been significant, with the gun big man emerging as the unlikely frontrunner for Rookie of the Year over Victor Wembanyama, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continues to be crazy good to back up his breakout 2022/23 season. Mark Daigneault is generally getting better production across the board from the likes of Jalen Williams and Isaiah Joe, allowing him to be more flexible with his line-ups. The hovering allegations about Josh Giddey have been the only real downside amid an indifferent start to the season for the Aussie, but there’s so much to like about what the Thunder are doing. And all of this with a mountain of draft picks at their disposal to upgrade the roster when they see fit. Look out.

    9. DALLAS MAVERICKS (11-6)

    The forgotten contender in the arms race following last season’s big disappointment, even after they acquired Kyrie Irving. But Luka Doncic looks like a man on a mission – with a better roster around him including a barrage of three-point shooters. It’s the offensive end of the floor where Dallas has really excelled – boasting the No.3 offensive rating – while they do have a ways to improve defensively to be taken more seriously as a legit contender. But the Doncic-Irving duo has proven to be a real handful, plus in Dereck Lively II the Mavericks have a promising big man for the first time in several years. It’d be nice to see more consistency from Josh Green, though the Aussie remains an important member of the rotation and has had some bright moments.

    Kings topple Warriors for Group C throne | 00:57

    10. SACRAMENTO KINGS (10-7)

    The beam is starting to come alight. After a 2-4 start to the campaign where the Kings looked like a big regression contender, they’ve rediscovered their spark, going 8-2 over their last 10 games including 4-2 over a recent road trip. The offence from last season is starting to come back too, led by De’Aaron Fox amid a spectacular start to the season from the star guard, who’s averaged a career-best 3.1 three-pointers per game. And Mike Brown’s team has improved at the other end of the floor to become middle-of-the-road defensively. Keegan Murray hasn’t quite taken the second-year leap in what could really propel the Kings to another level, which might be more likely to come in the forward’s third season.

    11. LA LAKERS (11-8)

    It’s been an up and down start to the season for the Lakers — and perhaps they’re ultimately not the contenders we thought they were amid a host of other Western Conference sides improving. While it’s still early days, LA has had issues at both ends of the floor — mainly the offensive end (ranked bottom three in three-point shooting) — as Darvin Ham works through finding his best line-ups after a few off-season changes to the roster. They’ve also been affected by injury and have struggled on the road (3-6). Beyond Anthony Davis and LeBron James, who’s still freakishly good at near age 39, there’s a lack of other consistent production, even if D’Angelo Russell has bounced back from a disappointing playoff series, while Austin Reaves hasn’t had the breakout season come expected in year three and has been moved to the bench.

    LeBron suffers WORST loss in NBA career | 00:51

    12. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (10-8)

    The Cavs have overcome a slow start to the season to get on a roll in recent times, having won six of their last eight games. We frankly haven’t seen Cleveland at full strength enough yet this season to get a real grasp of where this team is at – a team that finished top four in the East last season. The core remains as talented as some of the top sides and the addition of Max Strus has been a big win to add much-needed three-point shooting on the wing. The Caves don’t really want for anything, though there’s question marks of whether the Even Mobley-Jarrett Allen frontcourt is viable long-term given the spacing issues. It comes in an important juncture and season at large for the franchise as it’ll be hoping to convince Donovan Mitchell to stick around long-term, in one of the potential trade narratives to keep an eye on.

    13. NEW YORK KNICKS (10-7)

    When it’s all clicking for the Knicks, they’re a strong unit. Jalen Brunson proved last season was no aberration, backing up his breakout campaign to again lead this team, while Julius Randle and RJ Barrett haven’t been quite as consistent even though the latter has shown an improved three-point stroke. New York does have a top-five ranked defence and the 11th-best offence, but Tom Thibodeau’s squad has struggled against the best teams in the league. From that perspective, how far can a Brunson-Randle-Barrett trio go — even with an improved roster around them? Might be one big move away from seriously contending.

    Knicks stun Heat with comeback in NY | 01:16

    14. INDIANA PACERS (9-7)

    With Tyrese Haliburton in this kind of form, anything might be possible. Haliburton is putting together an All-NBA level season, averaging stupidly good numbers across the board (25.9 points on 51 per cent shooting, 3.8 triples and 11.9 assists per game). It’s been key to the team’s promising 9-7 start to the season, with claim to the league’s No.1 offensive rating while averaging 127 points per game. It’s completely opened the Pacers up defensively though …and where’s Haliburton’s help coming from? Myles Turner’s minutes are down, while Rick Carlisle seemingly can’t decide if he wants to develop Benedict Mathurin as a starter or just play veteran sharpshooter Buddy Hield heavy minutes, with the latter more of a win-now move. Bruce Brown has been a handy addition, but he’s more a role player than anything. Another team to watch ahead of the trade deadline.

    15. MIAMI HEAT (10-8)

    Another team that’s hard to figure out, albeit hampered by injuries, As if coming off an NBA Finals appearance as the eighth seed didn’t already make it tricky enough! The Heat have at least navigated the majority of the opening weeks without star guard Tyler Herro, who looked set for a huge breakout season as Miami’s leading scorer, and they’ve clearly missed his offence. The good has been good — including a seven-game winning streak and Bam Adebayo rolling in a career-best season to take on the mantle as Miami’s alpha. But the bad has been bad — opening the campaign 1-4 and currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak, while there’s question marks of the team’s depth.

    16. NEW ORLEANS PELICANS (10-9)

    One of the biggest enigmas in the NBA … are still an enigma? There’s been some good and some bad — including a five-game losing streak — and they’ve all-round just been an average side. It’s a somewhat disappointing return for a franchise that spent parts of last season as the No.1 seed in the West and could be so much more with Zion Williamson. But the former No.1 pick hasn’t yet lived up to expectations and has appeared frustrated at times with how the team is going and his role. Frankly, we haven’t seen Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum on the court together enough to get a proper gauge of how good they can be. McCollum’s lung injury did open the door for Dyson Daniels to play more minutes though and show a glimpse of the Aussie young gun’s promising future.

    17. LA CLIPPERS (8-9)

    Still adjusting to life with James Harden, the Clippers might’ve worked things out. After starting the Harden era 0-5, Tyronn Lue’s side has since won five of its last seven games as it starts to move up the West standings. There were always to be growing pains with Harden and a need to fine-tune rotations, which has ultimately seen Russell Westbrook move to the bench. Well, over their last six games, the Clippers have the best defensive rating in the league, while Harden is coming off his best game yet as a Clipper with a season-high 26 points, five triples and five steals. Paul George’s hot start to the season hasn’t been talked about enough too amid the team’s struggles.

    18. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS (8-10)

    It’s hard to know what to make of Golden State at times and how much we judge Steve Kerr’s team on reputation. Some predicted the addition of Chris Paul would take the Warriors to the next level, but right now they’re sitting just inside the Play-In qualification. It’s been the same story as last season — they rely too much on Steph Curry, Klay Thompson has been inconsistent and unreliable, Draymond Green has been engulfed in drama and the young players haven’t stepped up (but haven’t necessarily had opportunities to). Andrew Wiggins has meanwhile fallen off a cliff to leave a big scoring void, but Kerr doesn’t quite seem prepared yet to pass the baton to the next crop. They’ve gone 2-8 in their last 10 games and Paul has already suffered his first injury setback of the season.

    Curry tops Wemby in battle of the stars | 01:11

    19. HOUSTON ROCKETS (8-8)

    Ime Uodka has done some sort of job in his first 16 games as Rockets coach. A team considered a potential improver looks like a genuine playoff team. It’s been a bit of a seesaw — with revolving winning and losing streaks — but this team is highly disciplined defensively, helped by the addition of Dillon Brooks, is deep and has beaten reigning champion Denver twice. Having an established point guard in Fred VanVleet has provided more overall structure and Alpereen Sengun looks like a mini Jokic in a brilliant breakout season from the 21-year old centre. And to think the Rockets tried — and failed — to land Brook Lopez in the off-season in what would’ve almost certainly prevented Sengun from doing what he’s doing now. A really impressive start in H-Town in a big tick overall. Now just to replicate their home form (8-1) on the road (0-7) — and more Jock Landale too please!

    20. ATLANTA HAWKS (8-9)

    One thing you can count on with Atlanta — it’s going to score in bunches. The Hawks have the No. 5 offensive rating this season while averaging 122.5 points per game — trailing only Indiana — driven by Trae Young and Dejounte Murray. Jalen Johnson’s emergence has offset John Collins’ departure, and so the forward’s injury leaves a big hole in Quin Snyder’s streamlined rotation — that has featured Patty Mills for all of five total minutes this season. After a promising start to the season, the Hawks have gone 2-5 over their last seven games, so they have a few things to figure out ahead of tough upcoming schedule including playing Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Denver in their next five games. Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu remain locked in a minutes split at centre, but you sense it’s only a matter of time before Okongwu is given full rein.

    21. BROOKLYN NETS (9-8)

    The Nets have managed to keep their head above water despite battling a host of injuries to the likes of Ben Simmons, Nic Claxton, Cameron Johnson and Cam Thomas. Considering the amount of changes to the line-up, Brooklyn would be happy to currently be sitting ninth in the East including currently riding a three-game winning streak. The team has also had the sixth-toughest schedule in the league, according to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, while Mikal Bridges hasn’t quite had the breakout season some anticipated yet. With all that in mind, there’s a fair bit of upside when — or if — the Nets get fully healthy.

    22. TORONTO RAPTORS (9-10)

    Offence has been the main concern for the Raptors — in particular their bottom-five ranked three-point shooting. As good as Scottie Barnes has been in a breakout season from the forward, it’s hard to get a grasp of this team’s identity. One game it’s Barnes leading the charge, the next it’s Pascal Siakam, while OG Anunoby has struggled amongst it all and Jakob Poeltl has been used sparingly despite costing the team a first-round pick and getting a juicy contract extension. Could they be sellers at the deadline? Dennis Schroder has at least enjoyed a strong season as the team’s new point guard to get back to some of his best form of years past.

    23. UTAH JAZZ (6-12)

    Lauri Markkanen is doing everything he can, but fair to say this season hasn’t started nearly well as last for the young Jazz. You could see it going either way in Utah — but it’s been tough goings for Will Hardy and company. After struggling in the opening games before getting injured, Walker Kessler now finds himself coming off the bench, though that should change soon, while Keyonte George has moved into the starting line-up in Hardy’s bid for more playmaking and movement in that opening five. The Jazz however still have major issues at both ends of the floor, and at some stage, they’ll need to commit to a path of either competing for the playoffs or rebuilding, as right now it feels like they’re trying do both but failing to achieve anything.

    24. CHARLOTTE HORNETS (5-11)

    Just when the Hornets were starting to turn their season around, the near worst possible thing happened – LaMelo Ball suffered another setback to his troublesome ankle that required surgery earlier this year. At full strength, Charlotte has a solid roster that could contend for the playoffs, but it hasn’t had all its key pieces on the floor together at once, with Ball central to everything. Controversial forward Miles Bridges has taken no time to get up to speed since returning from suspension, and now he and Terry Rozier in particular will need to take on a much bigger load with the Hornets’ franchise superstar sidelined for the next several weeks.

    25. CHICAGO BULLS (5-14)

    If it wasn’t already clear, it’s time to blow it up. Things are a mess for the Bulls right now — a team built to win now is a ways off and is sitting all the way down as the Eastern Conference 13th seed amid a five-game losing streak — including dropping eight of their last nine. If Chicago’s situation doesn’t improve, which, right now, it’s hard to see how it does, expect one — or both — of Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan to be wearing a different jersey by the trade deadline. At least then Chicago can start building with a new nucleus, because the current one is stuck in NBA purgatory — where no team wants to be.

    26. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS (5-12)

    Going according to script after the Damian Lillard trade as the Blazers prioritise developing their emerging crop of youngsters including Shaedon Sharpe and Scoot Henderson, who should eventually take over the starting point guard job. Portland recently snapped an eight-game losing streak, with its offence the key area letting it down. Anfernee Simons having only played one game due to a thumb injury clearly hasn’t helped. Elsewhere, Aussie duo Matisse Thybulle and Duop Reath are getting more opportunities in the rotation to show their worth, with the former’s defensive prowess again proving valuable.

    27. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (4-13)

    When is Ja Morant free to return again? It’s the question the Grizzlies would be repeatedly asking themselves amid a grim 4-13 start to the season as perhaps the most disappointing team. Because sure, having no Morant for over a quarter of the season is significant, but the Grizzlies have looked like a lottery team without him. It includes the Griz being ranked dead last in three-point shooting with the second-worst rated offence. Unlike Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr. has struggled to step up with extra offensive opportunities. And as if it couldn’t get any worse, Marcus Smart is now sidelined for the next several weeks after suffering a nasty ankle injury. They did finally end their 0-8 winless drought at home — the last team to do so — after beating Utah on Thursday.

    28. SAN ANTONIO SPURS (3-14)

    The Spurs are probably lucky they’re not even lower (not that there’s much scope). But it’s been the very definition of growing pains and teething issues for the rebuilding team in welcoming Victor Wembanyama into its young core despite the No.1 pick’s sensational start to his career. San Antonio is in the midst of a 12-game losing streak to sit dead last in the West, while its -12.9 point difference is the worst in the NBA. Maybe expectations were simply set too high amid the hype around ‘Wemby’ — but just because they’re not playing well doesn’t mean their future isn’t bright. The Spurs are simply in experiment and trial and error mode — so even a Play-In appearance feels unlikely right now. Devin Vassell missing five games due to an adductor injury hasn’t helped their cause.

    Spurs fall short despite Wemby heroics | 00:51

    29. WASHINGTON WIZARDS (3-15)

    Not that the Wizards were expected to be any good this season, but it’s probably been even worse than imagined, with Kyle Kuzma the sole shining light. It took for Washington to play the Pistons to end a nine-game losing streak and pick up its fifth overall win nearing the quarter-way mark of the season. Jordan Poole and Tyus Jones have underwhelmed, though neither have played big minutes amid some curious rotation decisions from Wes Unseld Jr. Ranked bottom 10 at both ends of the floor, the Wizards are officially in all-out tank mode and could be sellers ahead of the trade deadline.

    30. DETROIT PISTONS (2-16)

    Perhaps the most alarming thing is that the Pistons started the season 2-1 and looked like a sneaky improver! Well, they’ve since lost 15 on the trot to hold the worst record in the NBA, with the eighth-worst defence and fourth-west offence. This is a team some thought could start climbing the standings after spending years going to the draft. But Detroit is still behind newer rebuilding teams like Portland, San Antonio and Washington, while Monty Williams can barely figure out his rotation and which players will help take this franchise forward. Having Cade Cunningham back has been important and rookie Ausar Thompson and second-year centre Jalen Duren have both impressed, but it looks set to be another long season in the Motor City — even if Bojan Bogdanovic’s imminent return will help.

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